Entertainment:

Listening to your 9 year old whine to your 5 year old about checking out his favorite Thomas movie AGAIN from the library;ranting about “how many times” he has watched and she just “can’t believe he is getting THAT movie again.. gosh!” and then 15 minutes after it starts, she is propped on a chair in front of the projector screen* enthralled in the movie herself. Thomas, at 9 years old.

If her friends only knew… muahahaa!!!

*cuz that is how we do DVD’s while I’m working at church, on the projector

Pink Block Party

I am not a runner.

My running career was stifled in 8th grade. 1 hour before the 400m relay our track coach dismantled the relay team without explanation and replaced us with 4 other people (probably faster people, but still) and offered no explanation – ever. It was at that moment I knew I would never be a runner as I was destined to bring up last place without any coaching in every competition I was put in for the rest of the year – the 50 yard dash, shotput, and long jump. I think I had a high achievement of 2nd to last by mere seconds once.

Therefore, when the season of 5k runs and walks (I’m not much a walker these days either – small wandering children really tend to slow one down) for various causes starts up – I tend to feel a twinge of guilt. My checkbook isn’t nearly as big as my heart, and well.. I’m not a runner.

The Pink Artist Block Party ‘09 to the rescue!

Last year the Pink Artists raised over $3,000.00 for Susan G. Komen for the Cure . One very special piece of art will be the grand prize this year, along with several other pieces of art donated by artists. Anyone can join in the party. I strongly urge you to go take a look! To find out how it all worked last year, click here.

Finally –  something I can do to raise money! I have started working on a necklace to donate.  Here’s a sneak peak!

Forget World Peace, I Just Need a New Bag

This is a serious problem I have here… I need a new purse, or bag, or cart with wheels – SOMETHING to carry all of my crap  stuff in!

What do all of you do with all your stuff? What kind of containing device do you use? Do I carry around abnormal amounts of crap stuff?

The last few years I have been known to cart around one of several bags: some stylish average sized tote bags, small cute tote bags (tote bags are ever plentiful where I work – I seriously can admit to having well over 75 of them in my closet as we speak for various purposes), a large many pocketed backpack with a smaller purse inside, and a hobo bag that I really think I could put my 5 year old in if I tried. I’ve also been seen with several combinations of the above.

In my perfect world, I would love to have just a little cute purse with nothing but my wallet and keys in it, and some chapstick and lotion. In the real world I need to carry way more than that – or at least I feel I need to.

Let’s start out with the basics: wallet, checkbook, sunglasses, reading glasses, massive keychain, pens, and my cell phone.

Now, I have kids and a husband as well, so add in: small toys to occupy them, hydrocortizone cream (it’s mosquito season you know), sunscreen, their sunglasses, various bits and bobs of gum and candy for bribes, room to put in whatever else they pick up on a day’s adventures, and the camera (which is not really small anymore – I chose a larger more substantial camera on purpose – I won’t drop it as much because I CAN’T forget I’m holding it with 5 other things in my hands. I repeat – I have kids – and I am very forgetful.)

I’m also away from home for an average of 14 to 15 hours a day, 3 days a week at my “main” job - so figure in the fact that I like to have along my MP3 player, charging cord for my cell phone, the cord for my MP3 player, a thumb drive or two, my knitting which is ussually socks - you never know when you need some knitting, and a bottle of water.

Because I am away from home for such a long time on many days that I still need to accomplish things I also have various amounts of papers, bills, and “things that need to be done” that I like to carry around to get done here and there, including my nice new humongo 15″ (really, I wanted a smaller one, they didn’t offer them when I ordered mine) laptop that I believe should have at least 1 inch of padding all around it’s precious little self.

Do you see my dilema here?

Do you have a solution? _It’s not a loony bin is it?)

Didn’t Mary Poppins have a little bag that could hold anything? I think I need one of those! Do you think I can get it with a built in hovering mechanism to keep the weight down?

Now we’re cruisin’

I am sitting here and bloging to you from my couch. Life is good! You guessed it, my new computer is finally in my hands. It was delayed by a few weeks, but finally arrived! Yay! Mr. CH’s should be here in the next few days as well, and then we can really be a modern couple and IM each other from seperate sofas rather than open our mouths. We can pretend we are telepathic!

So, knitting – there has been. I’m working on some Knitty Twist socks with yarn I bought from Creatively Dyed at the Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival last year. (If you are going to the festival this year and are on Ravelry, sign up on the events page so we all know who is giong. I’m also trying to rope Chocolate Sheep into helping organize a get together again  -  right in Jefferson this time perhaps)

Anyway, the socks: (man, do you know how cool a backlit keyboard is when you are typing in the dark??)

I am doing both socks up to the leg and then I will put them both on the same circs and finish off the legs at the same time. I hope to stave off SSS with this method. I even did my part on World Wide Knit in Public Day at the flag day parade:

I’ve really got to get cracking on socks – I noticed all my handknit socks, except the one pair I did finish last year, are wearing thin. I’ll  mend the ones Grumperina knit for me for Sockapalooza, but the others will probably sit in my drawer.

Another fun thing I have been up to is etching some metal with mere saltwater and batteries. I’ll get some pictures later this week hopefuly. The new camera is also due to arrive this week. I really should mention to Mr. CH that I ordered it….

Watch for posts to come this week about a Pink Block Party and a give away

Finally!

After months and months (and months), my creative brain seems to be waking up. I want nothing more than to leave work this instant and hole up in my little studio and make things.

Checkin In

Well, it seems the world is having one last laugh. Because I was so anxiously awaiting my brand new computer – it has been delayed. Dell assures me I will have it by the 17th now, but I won’t believe it until I see it. I did a google search on Dell and delays, and the results were not very promising. In the mean time, you can catch me refreshing the status of my order every hour or so – ha! I never was a good “waiter”.

Also, the camera broke while we were on vacation and it has been dropped too many times to qualify for warranty service. So, I also ordered a new camera – but I haven’t told Mr. CH yet. He didn’t seem too thrilled when I mentioned wanting to do that – but people, it’s summer – I need a camera. Disposable cameras and their processing are costly! Any bright ideas on how to explain the sudden appearance of the FedEx man with a new largish nicely equipped camera that don’t involve “I charged it”??

I’ve gotten my jewelry studio cleaned up. Now if it ever warms up, I can go down and work comfortably. The kids can even hang out down in the basement now too, thanks to Mr. CH and a week of vacation time. I should maybe mop the floor down there – but I think just requiring shoes is where it’s at!

I also rediscovered the solution to getting a knitting project done faster is to cast on another. It’s no wonder I never get anything knit with only one thing on the needles. If I want to knit but I’m sick of the sock, then I just don’t knit and I never get over being sick of that sock. So, right now I have a sock and a little baby sweater I am knitting for the church ladies to send off to charity on the needles.

The other rabbit hole I fell into was Farm Town on facebook. I was dragged down the hole in my defense. Now, if only cleaning the house were a computer game!

Lastly, It’s very cold here in Wisconsin – someone send us warmth! Now, if you excuse me, I have to go refresh my Order Status with Dell.

What I Learned on My Family Vacation:

1 – It takes 6 hours to pack for a family of 4
2 – If you pack less kids stuff than the last time you trecked across the country in a car (because they didn’t use any of it) – you will need to buy more stuff along the way to save your sanity.
3 – The rest stop just past the Iowa state border is maybe the most interesting thing you will see in Iowa, except for the amazing number of windfarms and plethora of windmill parts being trucked around – do you even KNOW how big those things really are!?
4 – Nebraska is still as “Nebraska” as ever – those of you who have been there know of which I speak.

5 – The ladies at the Visitor Center just the other side of the Colorado state line are very friendly and will be more than happy to give you 20,000 brochures – just in case ya need them.

6 – They also have a key trick to making the car confined kids tired – sending them up 4 flights of stairs to see the lookout view, then when they get back down they asked if the kids counted the stairs – of course they didn’t so they run up again and count, then when they come back down the ladies ask if they are sure – so the kids run up and down counting again – these are very wise women!

7 – The subburbs of Denver are much larger than I remember, yet downtown seems much smaller than I remember since I lived there 22 years ago as a child (oy!)

8 – 4 – cylinder cars don’t do well in the mountains

9 – There are still gobs of snow at 11,000 feet above sea level at the end of May.

10 – 4-cylinder cars will adjust to the altitude after a few days

11 – There are a ton of relatives that belong to me who I didn’t even know – but now I do!

12 – My grandparents are doing very well and I have really missed seeing them.

13 – My baby brother is all grown up now, and I’ve missed so much of his life  – and I miss him more than anything  and maybe someday I’ll actually stop crying about it. (And if one looked up “hot mess” in the Urban Dictionary one should really see a picture of me and what I was like the next 2 days after we left to head home)

14 – My kids cannot get enough of their grandparents or their uncle.

15 – 4 cylindar cars may adjust to altitude, but their moters may also go kaput leaving you stranded.

16 – You can’t junk your car without a title.

17 – You should leave someone a spare key so they could get into your home and retrieve a car title to FedEx if needed.

18 – Lower Bearing problems in engines are very costly to fix.

19 – You should never let your husband talk you into taking the roomier car if it is old.

20 – One way car rentals across the country are very, very expensive. Rental coverage on your insurance policy does not help you out at all in the event of “mechanical failure due to wear and tear”

21 – A Ford Expedition (at least we got a free last second upgrade!) gets 13 MPG when driving 80 MPH with a car carrier on top, and 16 MPG at 65 MPH.

22 – I wish just a little bit that we could afford to own and drive that Expedition because man was that thing sweet – environmental concerns aside

23 – Crazy Horse is deffinately amazing!

24 – Mt. Rushmore is pretty nice too!

25 – The Black Hills are beautiful.

26 – The Badlands are an amazing sight.

27 – The play put on in Deadwood SD about the trial of James Butler held after Bill Hickock was murdered is an excellent production, and the best 5 bucks per adult you will ever spend on vacation. Little Miss got to be a member of the Jury.  If you are in town – go see it.

28 – Also, stay at the Cedar Wood Inn while you are there – they are reasonably priced and a charming little family owned motel – we’ll stay there when we go back for sure!

There is so much more – but that is all I have time for for now. I expect a new Dell at my door anyday, which should hopefully make pictures and posting much much easier!

Plugged In

As I was in Walmart tonight browsing the FM transmitters for the MP3 player, it occurred to me just how many cords and electronic gadgets we have that need to be organized for a peaceful roadtrip we will be taking across the county.

1 – GPS Navigational System + 1 power cord
1 – Nintendo DS + 1 DC power cord + 1 AC power cord
1 – Leapster hand held video game – no cords – just batteries – yay!
1 – Game Boy + 1 AC power cord
1 – FM Transmitter cord
1 – MP3 player for me + one USB cord to charge it
1 – MP3 player for Little Miss + one USB cord to charge it
1 – MP3 player for Mr. CH – no cord, uses the same as Little Miss’ – off the hook on this one
2 – Portable DVD players + 2 DC power cords + 2 AC power cords
1 – NiMH Batter Charger + 1 DC power cord + 1 AC power cord
8 – Rechargeable batteries

Now – how shall I go about awarding time to plug into the one spare power source in the car? haha! And how the heck am I gonna organize all this stuff so it can take up little space, and be easily accessed, but not easily lost!?

(Yes, we could cut down to 1 MP3 player, but I have my music (and some for Little Mr.), that I am NOT giving up, Little Miss has hers, and Mr. CH has AA speakers and stuff on his. (Dare I mentioned I even thought of giving Little Mr. one of his own so he could have his tunes at his beck and call?) We could also cut down a DVD player, but frankly – I’m already close enough to the edge. I do NOT need an excuse to pull the car over and go all “Mom has truly lost it help us please” on anyone because someone can’t see the small screen properly. Normally I am against DVD players and such in the car – but I’ve come to value the peace they can provide when children are confined to the car for 20 hours one way.)

Look – a NFO!

Nearly Finished Object that is! (And a picture made for my desk by Little Miss! Oh, it is blurry, don’t worry, it’s me – not you! Sorry!)

I have been working on these socks since… oh….Thanksgiving!  Socks take a long time when you go on a 4 month hiatus from knitting because the dog won’t let you and you overdid it at Christmas! (3 neckwarmers in as many days = bad idea)

This is the Yarn that Dianne from Creatively Dyed sent me after the horrible, horrible incident with the dog. You remember, the destruction of the sock yarn that sent me sobbing to my knees. I still have all that yarn, and I intend to salvage what I can some day – when I can bear to look inside that plastic container and not have hard feelings about that day. Surely there is enough there for a baby pair of socks if I can untangle it enough.

 Dianne is a very kind soul and sent me this replacement yarn at no charge after reading about that incident. It’s from the Tradewinds line and is called Sea Grape. I’ve got something special for her in the works that I will finish soon for her in return. She totally did not have to do that, but it is who she is. She’s got me as a customer for life because I want to see her business soar and will do my part. (A good percent of my sheep and wool festival budget is earmarked for her booth again this year!)

Now, a closer look at the socks. I finished up the ribbing last night and started to bind off. When I looked at the clock and saw it was MIDNIGHT and I needed to be up at 5am – I promptly quit where I was. I swear binding off socks takes 4 times longer than you think it should!

I’ve got a whole 15 stitches at most to finish up. I never thought I would say this, but I hope it’s cool enough for handknit socks tomorrow!

Now – what do I start next?

The Jig is Up!

Whoever is behind the stealthy speeding up of time as we know it – I’m onto you! I don’t know how long you have been up to these antics, but I am now aware of what you are doing to me, and I won’t put up with it any longer.

You know – 7 years ago I had a spotless house, dinner on the table everynight (food that couldn’t just be cooked quick in a toaster oven I might add), and admitedly was even bored on occasion throughout the day.

Don’t go throwing the fact that I worked 3 less days a week in my face – it really is beside the point. I also had a 2 year old in diapers and a husband who was never home to help.

Heck – only 2 years ago I had a cleaner house and healthier dinner on the table more often than not AND I was working over 50 hours a week – that just goes to prove that something is fishy here!

These days I am up before the crack of dawn, shuffling kids off to school and/or heading to work for the day, running necessary errands and getting home a mere hour before bedtime most nights. There is no logical explanation for that.

 Every single day I come home and the house is magically trashed even though no one has been there. Heck – I can’t even manage to get 8 loads of laundry washed, folded, and put away in 2 days anymore.

I know what you are doing! You are taking time away from me that I previously had at home, and you are adding it to other people’s day while they are at home and I am not. This is the only logical explanation as to why it takes me 800 minutes to clean off the kitchen counter every two days, but only 5 seconds for everything to reappear back on it along with various other similar activites.

You can claim it’s because I have 2 children  – but I’m not buying that. They are far more self sufficient than they used to be – in fact I can handle just about anything with them by yelling an answer from another room or shouting 20 times for them to do something like put away their dishes.

I demand that this sneaky time-shifting of yours stop right now!

I don’t have time to clean the house, I don’t have time to play on the computer. I don’t have time to knit. My head is going freaky because I haven’t been in my studio since JANUARY! JANNN–UUUUU—AAARRYYYYYY!!!!!. And, I sure as heck don’t have time to train the dog, paint the walls, clean the carpet, plant some flowers for the goats to eat 27 hours later, mow the lawn, go to the doctor, buy new sheets to replace the insanely expensive ones that wore through and produced major holes this week, do my yoga, get to the store for fruit and veggies, or cook a real meal (shutup that I don’t have a working oven – I have all kinds of other appliances that cook - and do you really expect me to believe that cooking Spaghetti in the microwave really takes 45 minutes – seriously!?!) I know that is you again, stealing time!

Nor do I have time to dye my hair, find a hairstyle to even think of getting it cut into, actually get my hair cut, remember to bathe the kids more than 2 times a week (okay, who are we kidding – once unless it’s real obvious they were rolling in dirt), evict the house spiders, vacuum up the asian beetles all over the windows upstairs (they look like ladybugs but are not to those of you unfamiliar, and they come in by the hundreds this time of year) , write out a healthy grocery list for the shopper in the house, destroy the dust bunnies, pick my nose, or walk the dog.

Don’t go telling me that “no one” is stealing my time. I know you are – the proof is right there.

So just STOP IT!

Pretty Please???? With a cherry on top?